Tag: MDA

A test of Israel's Arrow 3 ballistic missile interceptor was aborted today due to a target failure. According to an Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) announcement, the test performed at the Air Forces' Palmachim missile test base was planned as part of the series of tests on Israel's multi-tiered defense array.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted today a long awaited test of the Ground Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the Missile-Defense system protecting the Continental USA from attacks by intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Israel's Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) within the Israel Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a series of intercept tests of Rafael/Raytheon David's Sling Weapon System (DSWS). The new system is being deployed with Israel's multi-tiered antimissile array.

The U.S. Navy yesterday intercepted a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) target using the new SM-6 Dual I interceptor, proving the capability of the upgraded multi-mission missile to defend the fleet against 'carrier killer' ballistic missiles.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) are currently tested with Airborne Infrared (ABIR) sensors – performing persistent, forward pickets to spot hostile missile launches and track them through their flight trajectory. These missions will soon evolve as RPAs become operational, and augment existing radar and space-based sensors, providing midcourse tracking and target discrimination, to help targeting ground and ship-based missile defense interceptors. In the next phase MDA will equip even larger unmanned platforms with high-power laser systems, to perform boost-phase intercept. The agency plans to demonstrate such systems in 2021.

New thrusters system designed for the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) of the Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) missile have passed an important validation test yesterday. The planned test that was originally scheduled for late 2015 did not include a target intercept. The test evaluated the CE-II EKV that demonstrated the performance of alternate divert thrusters in a flight environment. It also performed end-to-end discrimination of a complex target scene through the GMD fire control loop. The next flight test will conduct full intercept of a target simulating an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICMB).

The Israeli David's Sling air and missile defense weapon system (DSWS) successfully completed today the fourth and final series of tests (DST-4), representing the final milestone in the system's development. DST-4 is the final milestone before the IDF declares the David's Sling an operational system. The first of two units is expected to become operational in early 2016.

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has completed three major missile defense tests this week, a closing accord for an ambitious test plan this year. Two tests performed earlier today included a successful exo-atmospheric intercept test of the Arrow 3 interceptor, and first intercept mission of the Land-Based Standard Missile SM-3 Block IB launched from a land-based site. A third test conducted earlier this week tested the latest, most advanced variant of Standard Missile 3 series, the US-Japanese SM-3 Block IIA.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Raytheon have completed the first Program Planning Review on the future Multi-Object Kill Vehicle (MOKV) concept, a key step toward defining critical aspects of its design. This milestone ensures that the development plan is aligned with the MDA's expectations, and on track for an upcoming Concept Review in December.

Israel's David's Sling Weapon System (DSWS) air- and missile-defense system has completed a major test series this week, demonstrating a successful intercept of a target representing a ballistic missile threat.